With their frequent and wide-ranging use of the internet, netizens might appear to be creating an exclusive subculture. However, a new study by Ericsson ConsumerLab entitled The Networked Life shows that netizens are forerunners of a networked lifestyle that is being embraced by 82 percent of consumers.

1. CONSUMERLAB
The Networked life
An Ericsson Consumer Insight Summary Report
November 2015
How connectivity is shaping consumers’ lifestyles

2. 2 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life
This report presents insights from data gathered through
45,290 face-to-face and online interviews with consumers
aged 15-69 years old, representing 1.2 billion people
across 24 countries: Angola, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China,
Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Ivory
Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Norway, Poland,
Russia, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, the UK and the US.
METHODOLOGY
Contents
3 TOWARDS A NETWORKED LIFESTYLE
4 increasing device ownership
5 Netizens and the un-networked
6 UNEVEN SPREAD
7 The journey
8 SOCIAL PARTICIPATION AND SHARING
9 COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE
10 TECHNOLOGY FOR GOOD
11 THE FUTURE OF NETWORKED LIFESTYLES
the voice of the consumer
Angola
Kenya
Ivory Coast
chile
china
brazil
france
UK
Usa italy
Lebanon
india
Thailand
Japan
South Korea
Indonesia
germany
Poland Russia
Norway
Sweden
canada
Jamaica
Colombia
Ericsson ConsumerLab has 20 years’ experience of studying
people’s behaviors and values, including the way they
act and think about ICT products and services. Ericsson
ConsumerLab provides unique insights on market and
consumer trends.
Ericsson ConsumerLab gains its knowledge through a
global consumer research program based on interviews
with 100,000 individuals each year, in more than 40 countries
and 15 megacities – statistically representing the views of
1.1 billion people.
Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used, and
hundreds of hours are spent with consumers from different
cultures. To be close to the market and consumers, Ericsson
ConsumerLab has analysts in all regions where Ericsson is
present, developing a thorough global understanding of the
ICT market and business models.
All reports can be found at: www.ericsson.com/consumerlab

3. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life 3
KEY FINDINGS
TOWARDS A
NETWORKED LIFESTYLE
Through the ages, lifestyles have been shaped by the social,
economic, political and cultural patterns that existed at that
time. For instance, the hippie movement in the United States
in the mid-60s endorsed an alternative and differentiated
lifestyle that was detached from the mainstream. Today,
however, lifestyles are synonymous with the products and
services we use, which indicate who we are to the world.
As consumers spend more time online and use digital
services, their perspective on life changes, leading to a
networked lifestyle. In addition, the exponential growth in
internet use and an ever-increasing share of products and
services being consumed over the internet have triggered
an “all-inclusive” effect.
This report explores the attitudes and behaviors of two
groups of consumers who are at opposite ends of the
spectrum of a networked lifestyle.
More than 80 percent of consumers
in 24 countries lead a networked
lifestyle to some degree
Consumers expect more
devices to be connected
There are varying differences in key
markers of the networked lifestyle
Social participation, sharing,
engagement in collective intelligence
and the belief that technology has
a positive impact on society are key
elements of the networked lifestyle
Topping the wish list of devices to be
connected areTVs at 53 percent, home
alarms at 37 percent and cars at 35 percent
65 percent of netizens participate in a
sharing economy, compared to 9 percent
of un-networked
The un-networked show an inclination in
becoming socially networked. 35 percent
believe it is easier to discover products
through online communities and they are
closer to the global average in this respect
The networked lifestyle is all-inclusive in
the sense that individual benefit increases
as more people participate and adopt it
35%
1. 3.
5.
18 percent of consumers are still
not a part of this lifestyle
Many in the un-networked group have a
mobile phone but are yet to experience
the positive effects of interconnecting with
others.They may be connected technically
but are not yet networked socially
The highest proportions of un-networked
consumers are in Ivory Coast with
68 percent, Indonesia with 62 percent
and India with 52 percent
68%
4.
The forerunners of the networked lifestyle
are the netizens, who spend more time
online on a wider range of services than
others. They comprise 17 percent globally
Netizens are highly represented in
Chile with 32 percent, South Korea
with 29 percent and Brazil with
28 percent. Lebanon and Ivory Coast
have the lowest representation with
3 percent and 2 percent respectively
In comparison to Brazil and Chile,
France and Germany have a low
percentage of netizens; however
97 percent of people have adopted
the networked lifestyle to some
extent, indicating inclusivity. One
in every five consumers in Brazil
is un-networked, suggesting the
presence of a digital divide
97%
2.

4. 4 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life
increasing
device ownership
Owning a mobile phone is not necessarily indicative of one’s
adoption of a networked lifestyle. In order to adopt this
lifestyle, one needs to see the benefits of online participation
and subsequently engage in behavior which involves social
online activity and sharing. Using multiple devices is endemic
to such behavior.Today, consumers are connecting more
devices to the internet than ever before.
The networked effect
A network effect is the influence that a user of a product or
service has on the value of that product or service to other
people. For example, as more and more people obtain mobile
phone connections, it increases the levels of interconnectivity,
thereby increasing the value of owning the product itself.
However, we now see that when the network effect
happens to many products and services simultaneously
– such as when people quickly adopt a range of
both connected products and networked services –
value becomes accumulated on a lifestyle level.
A networked lifestyle is one where people become
connected online and start engaging in sharing knowledge
and resources with each other. As more people engage in
social participation and sharing, it leads to an accumulation
of collective intelligence.This comes from an implicit
trust placed in online communities when it comes to
information research, reviews or finding new products
to buy.This lifestyle is inclusive in nature, because it
increases in strength as more people start adopting it.
Based on research in 12 countries, it was found that the
average number of devices connected to the internet has
increased from 3.1 devices per household in 2014 to 4.1
devices in 2015.This increase is visible for both personal
connected devices such as smart watches, as well as
connected household devices such as smartTVs and remote
home monitoring systems (Figure 1). As a result, consumers
are spending more time online incorporating digital services
and devices with everyday activities.
Figure 1: Average number of connected devices available in a household
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab Analytical Platform, 2014-2015
Base: Population aged 16-69 in Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Italy,
Japan, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, the UK and the US
2014 2015
Smart watch Connected accessories Smart TV
Remote home monitoring
(connected alarms,
security cameras etc.)
Connected home
appliances (refrigerator,
washing machine etc.)
12%
11%
32%
6% 6%
9%
8%
15%
14%
27%
Personalconnecteddevices
Householdconnecteddevices

5. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life 5
Globally, consumers are in various stages of adopting
a networked lifestyle but 18 percent are still not part of
this lifestyle. Based on analysis of 24 countries, it has
become evident that as consumers spend more time
on the internet and use more digital services, they start
to have a different perspective on life. Based on time
spent on the internet and the variety of online services
used, two consumer groups were selected to represent
behavior at each end of the usage spectrum.
Netizens
Netizens are the forerunners.They spend the most
amount of time on the internet and their average internet
usage is at least an hour daily.They are the heaviest
users of digital services, typically using around seven
services on a daily basis.This group differs from others
across multiple parameters.There are more males than
females, with a high representation of professionals in
the 30-39 age bracket and fewer in the 50+ group.
Our research shows that netizens, who comprise 17 percent
of those interviewed, are driving the networked lifestyle;
and about another 65 percent are engaged in some
aspects of the networked lifestyle. On average, netizens
own at least three devices that are connected to the
internet.They are the most positively disposed towards
ICT and display the need to be constantly connected via
the internet. As a result, they frequently engage in virtual
social interactions and believe in the power of collective
intelligence (discovering products and services through
social networking platforms rather than asking friends
and family; preferring to discover products through online
communities than by searching the internet).They feel that
technology helps them to be efficient in managing everyday
activities as well as providing them with entertainment.
Even though netizens appreciate the positive aspects
of ICT, they do express a few concerns about leading
a networked lifestyle. 40 percent of netizens agree that
ICT is compromising their privacy. However, they are also
ahead in finding that the benefits of ICT outweigh the
risks. Perhaps the netizens’ higher levels of usage and
experience of ICT makes them more appreciative of the
benefits of ICT, while still being aware of the risks.
Un-networked
The un-networked group, which comprises 18 percent of
consumers, is at the other end of the spectrum.This group
spends the least amount of time on the internet, which is
less than once a day.The group includes more females than
males with a high representation of 40-59 year olds and a
low number of under 29 year olds and students.The number
of devices owned is the lowest, with an average of only a
single device.The limited set of consumers within this group,
who are connected to the internet, tend to lean towards
ICT largely for entertainment, compared to the netizens
who perceive benefits of both entertainment and efficiency.
Lack of knowledge in using the internet is a key barrier, and
results in low aspirations for virtual social interaction and a
lack of recognition in the potential of collective intelligence.
Only around one in five of the un-networked group uses the
internet, and they do so quite infrequently (less than weekly).
There is also very little difference in their outlook towards
technology in comparison to non-internet users. For instance,
around 41 percent of internet users in the un-networked
group believe that ICT helps them manage everyday tasks
efficiently, while 37 percent of the non-internet users think
this would be the case, showing a similar outlook. Similarly,
46 percent of internet users among the un-networked believe
that connecting more people using technology would be better
for society, which is again similar for the non-internet users at
45 percent. From this, we can conclude that the un-networked
is a homogenous group with similar attitudes towards ICT.
Like netizens but to a lesser degree, the un-networked
also have concerns, with 32 percent agreeing that
ICT is abetting civil unrest in the world and 29 percent
agreeing that it is compromising their privacy.
Netizens and the
un-networked

6. 6 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life
UNEVEN SPREAD
Based on research in 24 countries, about 43 percent believe
that development and wide usage of technology has helped
in creating high quality products and services in their country.
41 percent state that technology has helped them reach more
people in the world and understand global developments,
making geographical boundaries irrelevant. Around 31 percent
mention that their buying habits have changed a lot over
the past 5 years, with most purchases carried out online.
However, there is an uneven spread in terms of the extent
of adoption across these countries. As seen in Figure 2, the
distribution of netizens and un-networked varies across the
24 countries, indicating considerable differences in how
fast societies are becoming networked. Chile (32 percent),
South Korea (29 percent) and Brazil (28 percent) have
the largest group of consumers leading a networked
lifestyle, compared to Ivory Coast (2 percent) and Lebanon
(3 percent), which have the smallest groups of netizens.
The share of consumers in the un-networked group is high
in Ivory Coast (68 percent), Indonesia (62 percent) and
India (52 percent) and the lowest in Canada with less than
1 percent and Japan and Norway with 1 percent each.
Figure 2: Distribution of the groups
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The networked life, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 across 24 countries
Face-to-face interviews: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Ivory
Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon and Thailand
Online interviews: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland,
Russia, South Korea, Sweden, UK, and the US
Un-networked Netizens
AVERAGE
Brazil
Indonesia
UK
Angola
Chile
Italy
USA
Kenya
China
Japan
Germany
Jamaica
Russia
Norway
Canada
France
SouthKorea
Poland
Lebanon
India
Thailand
Ivory Coast
Sweden
Colombia
60%
40%
20%

7. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life 7
The disparities between the two groups, the netizens
and the un-networked, are indicative of the pace at
which societies move towards a networked lifestyle.
Disparate levels of connectedness
98 percent of netizens own more than one device (smartphone
and other devices like a laptop or tablet), as seen in Figure 3.
The highest proportion of netizens owning more than a single
device is seen across Canada, Germany, Lebanon, Poland and
Russia; while the lowest is seen inThailand and Indonesia.
In contrast, 58 percent of the un-networked own only a single
connected device (mobile phone/smartphone); the highest
proportion of which is seen in Angola (70 percent).There is also
an interesting paradox in Brazil where 1 in every 4 consumers
belongs to the netizens group, while about 20 percent of its
population is in the un-networked group.This demonstrates
that a digital gap exists in these countries, between those who
have adopted the networked lifestyle and the un-networked.
The journey
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The networked life, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 across 24 countries
Own only one device
(mobile phone/smartphone)
Figure 3: Ownership of devices
Own more than one device
(mobile phone/smartphone and other
devices like a laptop or tablet)
Overall Netizens Un-networked
82%
18%
98%
2%
42%
58%
PC/laptop
Tablet
Mobile/
smartphone
Mobile/
smartphone
Figure 4: Mediums used to access the internet
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The networked life, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 across 24 countries
Only fixed broadband
Both
Only mobile broadband
Don’t use the internet
Overall Netizens Un-networked
3%
12%
81%
18%
23%
39%
20%
16%
16%
68%
5%
98 percent of netizens
own more than one device
On the other hand, France and Germany have 16 percent
and 14 percent of consumers, respectively, who belong to
the netizens group, which is lower than Chile and Brazil.
However, France and Germany have an un-networked
population of less than 3 percent, indicating more inclusivity.
The un-networked group also ranks high among those who
use only mobile broadband to connect to the internet. Out of
the 19 percent who have some form of internet at home and
use it by themselves, 12 percent use only mobile broadband
(Figure 4). In comparison to the netizens, 68 percent are using
both mobile and fixed broadband to connect to the internet.

8. 8 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life
SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
AND SHARING
Consumers are increasingly participating in and sharing
information on multiple social media platforms.They
create and participate in communities with varying
lifespans, depending on the objective. For example,
social groups created for a university alumni network to
keep in touch with each other will have a longer lifespan
compared to a group created to plan an event.
The highest levels of social participation and sharing are
displayed by the netizens, with 73 percent engaging in at least
2 communities using social networking apps and websites,
compared to the overall average of 46 percent (Figure 5).
Increased social participation leads to a greater belief in
social platforms for sharing goods as well as receiving
services from peers. Consumers have started actively using
websites and apps designed to enable sharing of goods
and services with peers.The essence of these websites and
apps are based on social participation and what is referred
to as the sharing economy.This behavior is particularly
prevalent among the netizens. 65 percent of netizens engage
in some form of sharing activity through websites and
smartphone applications, compared to 34 percent overall.
Wi-Fi data sharing with others and renting rooms during travel
through service platforms like websites or mobile apps are the
most used sharing service categories. An example is Fon, a
popular Wi-Fi sharing service which claims to have the largest
Wi-Fi network in the world. Fon requests that you share access
to your own Wi-Fi router with others, in exchange for free Wi-Fi
at any of the 14 million hotspots in its network worldwide.
Among netizens, a variation in the levels of peer-to-peer
sharing was observed, with India at 79 percent, Angola and
Colombia at 78 percent each and Kenya at 35 percent.
When it comes to the un-networked group, lower levels
of social participation were observed. Nine percent of
un-networked consumers engage in at least two social
networking communities and fewer still engage in instant
messaging and community apps. In addition, only nine percent
of the un-networked group use peer-to-peer sharing services.
Figure 5: People engaging in at least two communities
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The networked life, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 across 24 countries
Proportion of people participating
in a sharing economy
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Un-networked Netizens Overall
Un-networkedSocial networking Community apps Instant messaging Netizens Overall
34%
65%
9%

9. As consumers participate in more social media platforms,
visit e-commerce sites and review websites, they gain
access to a wealth of information about products
and services based on user reviews and ratings.This
provides them with the collective intelligence required to
make a decision about buying a product or service.
Social platforms also offer opportunities to discover new
products and services. For example, being a member
of an educational community for high school students
can give access to information on the various courses
available across different universities. 56 percent of netizens
state that it is easier to find products and services on
the internet than through friends and family; the highest
proportion of these are seen in the US (71 percent).
Across the 24 countries, 38 percent of the un-networked
group state that it is easier to find products and services
on the internet than through friends and family. In India, the
percentage of people who do this is high, at 56 percent.
Likewise, while 48 percent of netizens perceive that
discovering products through online communities is easier than
searching the internet; 35 percent in the un-networked group
are of the same opinion.This indicates that the un-networked
are open to the idea of discovering products through online
communities. In fact, the top reason why non-internet users
get an internet connection is to access social networking.
This explains why the percentage of un-networked consumers
who agree that discovering products and services through
online communities is closer to the overall average.
ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life 9
COLLECTIVE
INTELLIGENCE
48 percent of netizens perceive
that discovering products
through online communities is
easier than through the internet
Figure 6: Proportion of consumers who agree with the statement
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The networked life, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 across 24 countries
Un-networked Netizens Overall
It is easier to find
products and services on
the internet than through
friends and family
Discovering products
through online communities
is easier than searching
the internet
60%
55%
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%

10. 10 ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life
TECHNOLOGY FOR GOOD
There is a positive correlation between adopting a
networked lifestyle and believing that technology can
have a positive impact on society. A higher proportion of
netizens believe that technology has the transformative
power to bring about the betterment of society.
For instance, 54 percent of netizens believe technology is
making education available for all, in comparison to 44 percent
of the un-networked group. Among the netizens, 64 percent
in the US believe in the democratization of education.This
is also reflected in the higher numbers of netizens who
think technology plays a role in the improvement of the
healthcare environment and has the potential to reduce
casualties from natural and man-made disasters (Figure 7).
Figure 7: Consumers who agree that technology has positive effects
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The networked life, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 across 24 countries
Technology
democratizing education
Technology
reducing casualties
Technology improving
healthcare environment
46%
35%
31%
54%
43% 39%
45%
38%
32%
Un-networked Netizens Overall

11. ERICSSON CONSUMERLAB The Networked life 11
THE FUTURE OF
NETWORKED LIFESTYLES
Greater connectivity and integration across devices
According to Ericsson ConsumerLab Analytical Platform
comprising data from 21 countries, 23 percent of
consumers in 2015 believe that virtual interactions are
as good as person-to-person interactions compared to
17 percent in 2011.This shows that acceptance for virtual
interactions are growing slowly and steadily. 48 percent in
2011 tried to strike a healthy balance between work and
life, while this is only 42 percent in 2015, indicating that
consumers are looking for more work-life integration than
balance. 46 percent of consumers in 2011 believed it was
important to be reachable all of the time, but this has fallen
to 38 percent in 2015, suggesting that consumers have
access to technologies that help them remain accessible.
Consumers have only begun to enter the era of networked
lifestyles, and they expect greater mobility and an
increasing number of devices to become connected.
For instance, based on research and analysis of 24 countries,
32 percent own a smartTV.Therefore, video streaming apps
have the potential to become mainstream on a global scale
in the near future, which could potentially have large ripple
effects on the entertainment industry. Already, 52 percent
surveyed want theirTVs to be connected to the internet.
24 percent of consumers also state that they are using
services that allow them to pause a movie,TV show or video
on one device and then resume playing from another device.
Across the 24 countries, 37 percent of consumers stated
that they want their home alarms to be connected, while
around 24 percent want connected home electricity
meters, and 19 percent want their air conditioners to be
connected. Inside their homes, fewer want connected
kitchen appliances, indicating that the usefulness of these
items being connected is not evident to the consumers.
Endless options for connectivity
Nevertheless, it seems that consumers recognize the
benefits of various devices in their life becoming connected.
Overall, 35 percent of internet users in 24 countries want
their cars to be connected, and around 32 percent want
their cameras to be connected, while around 12 percent
want their personal items like shoes, clothes, glasses, wallet
and jewelry to be connected. More connected devices will
ultimately lead to redefined networked lifestyle needs.
Figure 8: Wish list of devices to be connected
Source: Ericsson ConsumerLab, The networked life, 2015
Base: People aged 15-69 across 24 countries
Un-networked Netizens Overall
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
TV
Home alarms
Cars
Cameras
Air conditioner
Ligth bulbs
Refrigerator
Washing machine
Personal items
Kitchen utensils
Stationery
Furniture
Microwave oven, stove etc.
Home electricity meter
52 percent surveyed
want their TVs to be
connected to the internet

12. EAB-15:038765 Uen
© Ericsson AB 2015
Ericsson
SE-126 25 Stockholm, Sweden
Telephone +46 10 719 0000
www.ericsson.com
The content of this document is subject to revision without
notice due to continued progress in methodology, design and
manufacturing. Ericsson shall have no liability for any error or
damage of any kind resulting from the use of this document.
Leading transformation through mobility
We are a world leader in the rapidly changing environment of communications
technology – providing equipment, software and services to enable transformation
through mobility.
Some 40 percent of global mobile traffic runs through networks we have supplied.
More than 1 billion subscribers around the world rely every day on networks that
we manage. With more than 37,000 granted patents, we have one of the industry’s
strongest intellectual property rights portfolios.
Our leadership in technology and services has been a driving force behind the
expansion and improvement of connectivity worldwide. We believe that through
mobility, our society can be transformed for the better. New innovations and
forms of expression are finding a greater audience, industries and hierarchies
are being revolutionized, and we are seeing a fundamental change in the way we
communicate, socialize and make decisions together.
These exciting changes represent the realization of our vision: a Networked Society,
where every person and every industry is empowered to reach their full potential.